Blankets tents shipped to avert second disaster

With the onset of winter in Pakistan the Church is sending more blankets and tents to help earthquake victims in the Muslim country avert a second disaster brought on by freezing temperatures and harsh conditions.
Photo by Nate LeishmanTwo missionaries on left and district president Patras Dewan far right unload supplies at Hilkot Village.
Photo by Nate LeishmanVillagers of Hilkot Village Mansehra Pakistan wait to receive supplies. They are among more than 3 million people who were left homeless by the worst earthquake to hit South Asia in a century.
The winter supplies â 150000 blankets and 5000 winterized tents â were purchased this week in China and India and have been sent to the region where a 7.6 magnitude earthquake destroyed or severely damaged 90 percent of the homes Oct. 8.
Islamic Relief Worldwide a Muslim humanitarian organization will distribute the supplies.
The aid is sent in addition to 400 tons of relief supplies â including 50000 blankets 300000 pounds of medical supplies 42000 hygiene kits 1000 winterized tents â which have already reached the country where winter season starts in November and ends in March said Garry Flake director of Church Emergency Response.
The Church has already helped in a major way and it has been very appreciated by both the recipients and the government of Pakistan he said.
The largest earthquake to hit South Asia in a century the disaster also struck northern India and Afghanistan. The Church has also monitored and responded to the same incident in India sending winter clothing and blankets and donating $100000 to the India Prime Ministers Relief Fund.
In Pakistan the earthquake killed 73331 people seriously injured 69392 and left 3.3 million people homeless according to Pakistans government.
Brother Flake said the aid came after a Latter-day Saint team visited the disaster zone and assessed needs and heard appeals for help from the Pakistani government the United Nations and others.
The supplies he said will be delivered as soon as they can to help families trying to meet their needs this winter. Pakistans weather office forecasts as much as 10 feet of snowfall this winter on mountains above 8000 feet in the earthquake region.
The most urgent needs still are tents and blankets said Brother Flake. We are trying to help avert the second disaster that winter can bring.
He said the government has urged victims to stay in their homes where they can watch over their livestock and avoid illness common in tent cities.
The Churchs partnership with Islamic Relief helps Church aid reach those in remote areas said Brother Flake. They paid much of the transportation costs for the first wave of Church-donated supplies. The two organizations have partnered in the past including after the tsunami that devastated Southeast Asia last December.
Brother Flake said the aid is made possible by the generous contributions of Church members and others to the Churchs Humanitarian Fund and is a continuation of the Churchs efforts to reach out across the world to help the most desperate.